In Dr. Simeons manuscript under the heading "The Duration of Treatment" he says that the treatment should never be less than 26 days, even if you only want to lose 5 pounds. He goes on to explain why and says that if the treatment is stopped earlier than 26 days, then weight is much more easily regained. Apparently it is best to continue the treatment after "normal weight" is reached and increase the diet from 500 to somewhere between 800 and 1000 calories per day for the remainder of the treatment.

Okay, I understand that... But he also says "The diet is arranged in such a way that the weight remains perfectly stationary and is thus continued for three days after the 23rd injection." Though he is not specific about how best to arrange the diet in "in such a way that the weight remains perfectly stationary".

Based on how much weight my wife and I lost during the first ten or so days of the first round, If I were to do a second round with my wife, I would almost certainly reach my "normal weight" very quickly and have to modify the diet while continuing the drops for 26 days. I'm kind of leaning towards doing this since I still have some fat around my stomach that I could afford to lose, and it will make it a lot easier for my wife if her and I are following the diet together and eating the same foods.

So, do you have any specific information on how best to determine how many calories to increase too, and which foods to increase in order to maintain that "normal weight" once it is reached and still taking the drops?

Thanks!

You increase your calories to 800-1000 by eating the same foods as you have been, just more of them. You will know when you have lost abnormal fat because you'll get hungry. You may be able to lose more than you realize. :-)

I thought I only had 10-15 pounds at most to lose when I started the first round. But I lost 25 pounds and still have some fat around my mid section. I could probably take care of that with exercise and eating right, but it it was so much easier for my wife and I doing the diet together. She is about ready to start another round so I thought it would be good to do it with her (It is so much easier when you are both eating the same things) but I am concerned I will lose what I need to very quickly and don't know how to modify the diet to just maintain weight for the duration of 26 days.

FYI: I am 43 years old, 5'7", I was 172 pounds at my high and about 170 pounds as started my first round. I finished the first round out at 145 pounds and have maintained +/- 2 lbs since. 145 seems pretty light to me. I never thought I had that much to lose. And I still have some fat around my mid section, but not much. I can't imagine weighing much less than 145, but I assume I can loose more abnormal fat and then gain some weight back by exercising and adding muscle; at least that is my plan.

I would just like to know how to modify the diet for the duration of 26 days once I lose all my "abnormal fat"... If I don't get a definitive answer from someone, then I plan to increase to 700 calories by increasing my meat, veggie, and fruit each by a little bit and see what that does, then increase to 800, then 900, and so on so that I am not starving but not gaining weight either. If I gain, then reduce calories a little. That's seems to make the most sense. Though someone who really knows what is best may tell me to do it differently, perhaps focus the calorie increase more on the meat, or maybe more on the veggies rather than increasing each of them. Any advice is welcome.

PS: One more question... Is there any other good indicators other than increased hunger to watch for so I know when I've lost all abnormal fat?

Thanks grammy. Since Dr. Simeon's VLCD diet so so very specific (ie: exactly 3.5 oz meat, handful of strawberries, don't mix veggies, etc), I was just wondering if there was more specific requirements for how best to increase your calories.

But it sounds like just increasing each food type a little bit might be best (as opposed to doing something like increasing the just amount of meat to make up the difference in calories and leaving the amount of veggies and fruits about the same). Thanks again!

mgsondance, I was thinking 145 is pretty thin too. But I must also be small framed because I really don't look skinny. Too look at me, it's obvious I've lost weight since I was 172 pounds, but I'm not skinny looking. I look just about right except for a few extra pounds around the waist (love handles, muffin top, or whatever you want to call it). I was always a lightweight as a kid and could never gain weight when I wanted to bulk up. But age took care of that for me...

Anyway, I thought HCG only went after abnormal fat, not muscle. If so, then doing a 26 day round and increasing calories to maintain weight and avoid hunger once all abnormal fat is gone might be okay (even if it happens after only 5 or 10 days). But if I would be losing muscle too, then I would not want to do another round of HCG to lose the last few pounds of abnormal fat.

Anyone else care to chime in? Will I lose muscle if I do HCG to lose the last 5 or so pounds, and then increase calories for the reminder of the 26 days once my abnormal fat is gone (using hunger as an indicator that I've reached that point)?